The service rig industry, a vital part of Alberta and Saskatchewan's oil and gas sector, has been needlessly restricted by unnecessary rules that limit movement between work sites and across provincial borders. By working with the service rig industry, the Government of Alberta and the Government of Saskatchewan are improving efficiency in the service rig industry.
Regulatory changes for service rigs will remove unnecessary red tape without compromising safety. Service rigs will continue to follow stringent and appropriate safety standards, including valid permits for transport and operation, as well as established Occupational Health and Safety requirements.
Some commercial trucking requirements are not suitable for service rig equipment that spends 95 per cent of its time at a worksite and only five per cent of its time on the road.
The Government of Alberta and the Government of Saskatchewan are signing a Memorandum of Understanding to work together towards harmonizing transportation regulations for service rigs traveling between the two provinces. The two premiers met at the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show in Weyburn on Wednesday, and signed an MOU before taking part in a panel discussion on issues facing the oil industry in the two provinces.
They will also work together at the Western Premiers’ Conference later this month to develop a unified western approach to harmonization for a joint application seeking appropriate exemptions from federal regulations to make it easier for service rigs to get to job sites across western Canada.
“Oil well service rigs do vital work in Alberta’s oil field and they have been needlessly restricted by regulations that limit movement between job sites,” Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney said. “We are working to make it easier for service rigs to get to job sites in Alberta and across provincial borders, alongside the Government of Saskatchewan.”
“The energy industry is a vital part of our economies as prairie provinces,” Premier of Saskatchewan Scott Moe said. “Working together with Premier Kenney and his government, we are laying the groundwork to ensure that service rigs operating in Alberta and Saskatchewan's oil and gas sectors are not bogged down by unnecessary regulations.”
